Pamela Anna Polland (born August 15, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter who made three albums for

Epic Epic commonly refers to: * Epic poetry, a long narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation * Epic film, a genre of film with heroic elements Epic or EPIC may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and medi ...

and

Columbia Records Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...

in the 1960s and 1970s and whose songs have been recorded by a number of popular artists. In the 1980s, she re-emerged as an independent recording artist and vocal coach, later working in film and TV scoring and Hawaiian music.

Biography

Early years

Pamela Polland composed her first song at the age of nine and by her teens was playing folk clubs. During this period, she formed a two-year alliance with

Ry Cooder Ryland Peter "Ry" Cooder (born March 15, 1947) is an American musician, songwriter, film score composer, record producer, and writer. He is a multi-instrumentalist but is best known for his slide guitar work, his interest in traditional music, an ...

who accompanied her for performances of blues material. Her recording career began a few years later, in 1966, when she and singer-songwriter Rick Stanley formed ''The Gentle Soul'', a folk band with psychedelic influences and an emphasis on creative and elaborate vocal harmonies. Their self-titled album appeared on

Epic Records Epic Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America Sony Corporation of America (SONAM, also known as SCA), is the American arm of the Japanese conglomerate Sony Group ...

together with a number of non-LP singles. Following the dissolution of The Gentle Soul, Pamela set up home in

Mill Valley Mill Valley is a city in Marin County, California, United States, located about north of San Francisco via the Golden Gate Bridge and from Napa Valley. The population was 14,231 at the 2020 census. Mill Valley is located on the western and ...

, California before joining

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

and

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

for the Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour in 1970. She can be heard and seen in the ensuing double album and film documentary respectively.

Songwriter and teacher

Polland's songs have been recorded by a considerable number of popular artists from the 60s onwards. These include

Helen Reddy Helen Maxine Reddy (25 October 194129 September 2020) was an Australian-American singer, actress, television host, and activist. Born in Melbourne to a showbusiness family, Reddy started her career as an entertainer at age four. She sang on rad ...

, who recorded "Music, Music" for her gold-selling album of the same name in 1976, and

Linda Ronstadt Linda Maria Ronstadt (born July 15, 1946) is a retired American singer who performed and recorded in diverse genres including rock, country, light opera, the Great American Songbook, and Latin. She has earned 11 Grammy Awards, three American ...

, who recorded "I'd Like To Know". Among the most widely recorded of her songs is "Tulsa County", which has been interpreted by

The Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole cons ...

Bobby Bare Robert Joseph Bare Sr. (born April 7, 1935) is an American country music singer and songwriter, best known for the songs "Marie Laveau", " Detroit City" and "500 Miles Away from Home". He is the father of Bobby Bare Jr., also a musician. Early ca ...

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Jesse Ed Davis Jesse Edwin Davis III (September 21, 1944 – June 22, 1988) was a Native American guitarist. He was well regarded as a session artist and solo performer, was a member of Taj Mahal's backing band and played with musicians such as Eric Clapton, J ...

, and

Son Volt Son Volt is an American rock band formed in 1994 by Jay Farrar after the breakup of Uncle Tupelo. The band's current line-up consists of Farrar (vocals, guitar), Andrew DuPlantis (bass guitar), John Horton (guitar), Mark Patterson (drums), and Ma ...

. More recently, singer-songwriter

Alela Diane Alela Diane Menig (born April 20, 1983), known as Alela Diane, is an American singer-songwriter from Nevada City, California, Nevada City, California. Early life and education Diane was born in Nevada City, California, Nevada City, California ...

recorded Polland's "See My Love" when she guested as a vocalist for The Headless Heroes' 2008 covers album, "The Silence of Love". The original version of "See My Love" appeared on "The Gentle Soul". By the 80s, Polland had also established herself as a vocal coach, and she later released the instructional DVD "Vocal Ease".

Solo artist

Her emergence as a solo artist began with the self-written album "Pamela Polland", which appeared on

in 1972. Owing to changes of personnel at Columbia, Polland's follow-up album, "Have You Heard The One About The Gas Station Attendant?" (1973), recorded in London with producer

Gus Dudgeon Angus Boyd "Gus" Dudgeon (30 September 1942 – 21 July 2002) was an English record producer, who oversaw many of Elton John's most acclaimed recordings, including his commercial breakthrough, "Your Song". Their collaboration led to seven US No ...

and featuring guest appearances from

Joan Armatrading Joan Anita Barbara Armatrading, (, born 9 December 1950) is a Kittitian-English singer-songwriter and guitarist. A three-time Grammy Award nominee, Armatrading has also been nominated twice for BRIT Awards as Best Female Artist. She received ...

, as well as several members of

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

's band and renowned arranger

Paul Buckmaster Paul John Buckmaster (13 June 1946 – 7 November 2017) was a Grammy Award-winning British cellist, arranger, conductor and composer, with a career spanning five decades. He is best known for his orchestral collaborations with David Bowie, Sha ...

, was shelved. Her next solo album was not to be until 1995's "Heart of the World", which combined her pop and jazz leanings with New Age sensibilities. The album, produced by Gary Malkin (Graceful Passages), also sported guest spots from

Kenny Loggins Kenneth Clark Loggins (born January 7, 1948) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. His early songs were recorded with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band in 1970, which led to seven albums recorded as Loggins and Messina from 1972 to 1977. His ...

Bonnie Raitt Bonnie Lynn Raitt (; born November 8, 1949) is an American blues singer and guitarist. In 1971, Raitt released her self-titled debut album. Following this, she released a series of critically acclaimed roots-influenced albums that incorporated ...

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, as well as Mike Marshall and several other well recorded musicians. Public interest in the Epic/Columbia years was reawakened from 2003 onwards, when "The Gentle Soul" was reissued on CD in America. This was followed by Japanese reissues of "The Gentle Soul" as well as "Pamela Polland". Subsequently, both albums, along with "Heart Of The World", were made available on

iTunes iTunes () is a software program that acts as a media player, media library, mobile device management utility, and the client app for the iTunes Store. Developed by Apple Inc., it is used to purchase, play, download, and organize digital mul ...

. The "Pamela Polland" album is also part of the

Pandora internet radio In Greek mythology, Pandora (Greek: , derived from , ''pān'', i.e. "all" and , ''dōron'', i.e. "gift", thus "the all-endowed", "all-gifted" or "all-giving") was the first human woman created by Hephaestus on the instructions of Zeus. As Hes ...

library. The unreleased 1973 Columbia album, believed to be an artistic triumph, has been referred to by Polland as "some of my best work". It saw its first release in March 2019 when the BGO label released a CD compiling that album and Polland's 1972 debut.

Melba Rounds

The unfortunate events at

that curtailed Polland's first solo career prompted a change of direction, and – in the mid-seventies – she resumed activities under the name Melba Rounds. The fictional Melba Rounds was a bawdy and lubricious blues and jazz madam whose repertoire spanned the 1920s to the 1940s. Polland's "Melba Rounds Show" proved a hit in San Francisco, and was noted for its exuberance, extravagant costumes and dancers. The Melba Rounds Show demonstrated the breadth of Polland's stylistic repertoire and spawned a ten-year stint for her as principal vocalist with The Golden Age jazz band.

Hawaii

Following the release of "Heart of The World", Polland's self-published third solo album, she moved to Maui, Hawaii, and threw herself into local culture and music. She took up the ‘ukulele, studied local language, and became a hula dancer. Polland is currently band leader of Keaolani, a four-piece ‘ukulele band tutored by Hawaiian cultural experts Kahauanu Lake and Walter Kamuala‘i Kawai‘ae‘a. She is also the co-founder of Maui Film Music, through which she provides film and TV scores with Bobby Parrs. Polland's achievements as an artist and performer in Hawaiian music are such that she was requested to appear at

Tony Curtis Tony Curtis (born Bernard Schwartz; June 3, 1925September 29, 2010) was an American actor whose career spanned six decades, achieving the height of his popularity in the 1950s (Kansas Raiders, 1950) and early 1960s. He acted in more than 100 f ...

's 81st birthday party as well as a command performance for

Anthony Hopkins Sir Philip Anthony Hopkins (born 31 December 1937) is a Welsh actor, director, and producer. One of Britain's most recognisable and prolific actors, he is known for his performances on the screen and stage. Hopkins has received many accolad ...

. In June 2010, Polland released "

Hawaiianize Hawaiianization refers to the taking of a physical product, word, or concept hitherto unrelated to Hawaiian culture, and confer a Hawaiian form, quality, and character upon it through various means. The word and its conjugated forms are an increas ...

d", a five-track digital download EP available internationally via iTunes and other digital outlets. The mini-album, part one of an envisaged series, featured pop classics interpreted in Hawaiian style with new vocal arrangements and 'ukulele accompaniment from Polland. The collection was produced by

John McFee John McFee (born September 9, 1950, Santa Cruz, California) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, and long-time member of The Doobie Brothers. Biography Some of McFee's early and non-Doobie ...

The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...

, who had played on Polland's self-titled Columbia debut, and who also played a variety of acoustic and electric stringed instruments on the EP. The set's distinctive background vocals were sung by Sharon Celani, famous for her work with

Stevie Nicks Stephanie Lynn Nicks (born May 26, 1948) is an American singer, songwriter, and producer known for her work with the band Fleetwood Mac and as a solo artist. After starting her career as a duo with her then-boyfriend Lindsey Buckingham, releasi ...

and others. "

d" was bookended by two different versions of "Somewhere Over The Rainbow", prompting Sam Arlen, son of the song's composer

Harold Arlen Harold Arlen (born Hyman Arluck; February 15, 1905 – April 23, 1986) was an American composer of popular music, who composed over 500 songs, a number of which have become known worldwide. In addition to composing the songs for the 1939 film ...

, to comment, "This version of my father's classic composition lifts the spirit while still tugging at the heartstrings to remind us that there is really no place like home. This disc deserves a home in your collection."Arlen, Sa
“Comment on Hawaiianized – Pamela Polland
" ''MySpace''

Personal life

Pamela is married to designer Bill Ernst with whom she has settled in Hawaii, on the island of

Maui The island of Maui (; Hawaiian: ) is the second-largest of the islands of the state of Hawaii at 727.2 square miles (1,883 km2) and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is the largest of Maui County's four islands, which ...

Discography

Albums

* ''Gentle Soul'' – The Gentle Soul (Epic, BN 26374, 1968) All tracks written by Pamela Polland/Rick Stanley except where noted. ;Tracks #"Overture" – 4:35 #"Marcus" (Pamela Polland) – 2:52 #"Song For Eolia" – 2:12 #"Young Man Blue" (Rick Stanley) – 2:30 #"Renaissance" – 3:10 #"See My Love (Song For Greg)" (Pamela Polland) – 3:55 #"Love Is Always Real" – 2:55 #"Empty Wine" – 2:35 #"Through a Dream" – 3:54 #"Reelin'" (Pamela Polland) – 3:17 #"Dance" (Rick Stanley/N.Wynn) – 3:23 ;Bonus Tracks #"Tell Me Love" (mono, single A-side) (Rick Stanley) – 2:24 #"Song for Three" (mono, single B-side) (Pamela Polland/G.Copeland) – 2:56 #"2:10 Train" (mono) (T.Campbell/L.Albertano) – 2:52 #"Flying Thing" (previously unissued) (Jackson Browne) – 3:15 #"God Is Love" (previously unissued) – 2:19 #"You Move Me" (single A-side) (Pamela Polland) – 2:12 #"Our National Anthem" (single B-side) (Pamela Polland) – 2:28 #"Tell Me Love" (alternate version, previously unissued) (Rick Stanley) – 2:22 #"Love Is Always Real" (alternate version, previously unissued) – 3:02 ;Personnel *Pamela Polland – female vocals, guitar *Rick Stanley – vocals, guitar *Tony Cohan – tabla *

Mike Deasy Michael William Deasy (born February 4, 1941) is an American rock and jazz guitarist. As a session musician, he played on numerous hit singles and albums recorded in Los Angeles in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. He is sometimes credited as Mike De ...

– guitar *

Van Dyke Parks Van Dyke Parks (born January 3, 1943) is an American musician, songwriter, arranger, and record producer who has composed various film and television soundtracks. He is best known for his 1967 album ''Song Cycle (album), Song Cycle'' and for his ...

– harpsichord *Paul Horn – flute *Ted Michel – cello *Larry Knechtel – organ *Bill Plummer – bass *Gayle Levant – harp + *Riley Wyldflower – guitar *Jerry Cole – guitar *Joe Osborne – bass *Sandy Konikoff – drums *

Hal Blaine Hal Blaine (born Harold Simon Belsky; February 5, 1929 – March 11, 2019) was an American drummer and session musician, thought to be among the most recorded studio drummers in the music industry, claiming over 35,000 sessions and 6,000 singles. ...

– drums *

Terry Melcher Terrence Paul Melcher (born Terrence Paul Jorden; February 8, 1942 – November 19, 2004) was an American record producer, singer, and songwriter who was instrumental in shaping the mid-to-late 1960s California Sound and folk rock movements. His ...

– producer on Tracks 1 through 11 * ''Pamela Polland'' (Columbia, KC 31116, 1972) Produced by George Daly * ''Have You Heard The One About The Gas Station Attendant?'' (Columbia, 1973) Unreleased album, completed and mastered, Produced by

* ''Heart of the World'' (Ivory Moon, 6795, 1995) Produced by Gary Malkin * ''Hawaiianized'' (Off The Leash/AWAL, 2010) Produced by

References

External links

Official website

Keaolani Ukulele Band and Hula

Maui Film Music

{{DEFAULTSORT:Polland, Pamela 1944 births 20th-century American women singers 20th-century American singers 21st-century American women singers 21st-century American singers American women music educators American women pop singers American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters Living people Musicians from California Singer-songwriters from California Singer-songwriters from Hawaii